The invention relates to a method of aligning optical-fibers. According to this method, an optical-fiber holder hold a sheath of an optical-fiber, the ends of bare optical-fibers exposed from the sheath are received and aligned in a groove of a groove stage provided inner side than the optical-fiber holder and aligned. This invention also relates to an optical-fiber alignment device and an optical-fiber fusion splicer using the method of aligning optical-fibers.
A related optical-fiber fusion splicer includes an optical-fiber alignment device and fusion splicer means. The sheaths of ends of four-wire optical-fiber ribbon cords as a pair of optical-fibers are removed to expose bare optical-fibers. The optical-fiber alignment device includes a groove stage for aligning the bare optical-fibers so that the opposite sides of the bare optical-fibers are abutted against each other. The groove stage includes opposed V-grooves as grooves formed on the surface of a portion of the groove stage. The optical-fiber alignment device includes a pair of optical-fiber holders which respectively hold the sheaths of the pair of optical-fiber ribbon cords. The optical-fiber holders are positioned on an optical-fiber holding stage to hold the sheaths.
When the bare optical-fibers of the pair of optical-fiber ribbon cords are mounted on the predetermined V-grooves, an operator manually moves the optical-fiber holders which holds the sheath of the optical-fiber ribbon cords, and aligns (positions) the bare optical-fibers into the predetermined V-grooves. When the optical-fiber holder is used, the operator moves the optical-fiber holders with his/her one hand so that all of the bare optical-fibers are received in the respective V-grooves. When they are to be positioned, the operator operates a clamp lever using the other hand to clamp the optical-fiber holder.
The optical-fiber holder has a bottom surface with a recess. The optical-fiber holding stage has an upper surface with a projection functioning as a mounting surface on which the optical-fiber holder is to be mounted. The two projecting and recessed fitting portions have a gap therebetween. The gap allows the optical-fiber holder to move, and to precisely position the bare optical-fibers in the V-grooves.
Another optical-fiber fusion splicer includes V-grooves. The slits as many as the V-grooves projecting higher than the V-grooves are fixed to the rear side of the V-grooves. The slits and the V-grooves are aligned with each other. Therefore, if the bare optical-fibers are inserted into the slits, the bare optical-fibers are guided by the slits to be arrayed parallel to each other and thus, the bare optical-fibers are received in the V-grooves as they are (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S59-2013).
In the former fusion splicer of the optical-fiber ribbon cord, the extremely narrow gap and width of the V-groove makes it very difficult for an operator to manually position the bare optical-fiber to the V-groove while visually checking this state.
When the optical-fiber holder is to be clamped, the optical-fiber holder is moved to cause the bare optical-fiber to come out from the predetermined V-groove in some cases. This causes variations in operational speed according to differences in skill of operators.
In the latter optical-fiber fusion splicer, when the respective bare optical-fibers are to be inserted into the slits, it is troublesome to manually position the bare optical-fiber and the slit to each other. When the bare optical-fibers are to be inserted or pulled out, the fixed slits necessarily move parallel to the bare optical-fibers, and the operator needs pay attention, thus rendering the operation difficult.